Junk bug (Green lacewing larva)

Natural Habitat

Gardens, orchards, crops, and various urban landscapes with vegetation

Diet & Feeding

Predatory; feeds on aphids, mites, scale insects, and thrips

Behavior Patterns

Larvae carry a camouflage 'trash' pile on their backs made of debris, dust, and drained corpses of their prey to hide from predators. They are active hunters with sickle-shaped mandibles.

Risks & Benefits

Extremely beneficial to ecosystems as natural biological pest control; they pose no risk to humans, though they may occasionally deliver a minor, non-toxic nip if handled.

Identified on: 6/3/2026